Page 28 of Wicked Dreams

“No,” he said, confusion showing on his face. “I just told them we’d given you enough shit so we should lay off for a bit. Oh, and we’re all planning on going to your birthday party.”

“Grrreat,” I mumbled as I turned and walked away from him.

The morning passed unusually slowly. I sat in my classes and had no choice but to pay attention since sleep and Donovan wouldn’t come.

Finally, lunch rolled around. I grabbed my tray, and once I picked up some food I sat at my usual table, waiting for Anita. I was surprised when Wes sat down instead.

I looked at him, speechless.

He raised his dark eyebrows in response, daring me to say something.

I opened my mouth, but no sounds came out.

Finally, Anita dropped her tray down onto the table with a clatter, stealing my attention, and looked between the two of us. “Did I miss something here?”

I looked from her to Wes and then back. He did the same.

“Liv didn’t tell you that we’ve been hanging out for a few days now?” Wes asked her.

Anita looked at me. “No. Are you two friends now or something?”

My day had been pretty quiet so far. Nobody knocked my books from my hands as I walked down the hallway. I hadn’t been called a single name. And, even Brent walked by me without calling me by the nickname he gave me: Butt Whore.

So far, Wes had held up his end of the deal.

I nodded once. “Yeah. He saved me last week and gave me a ride home. We’ve been hanging out ever since. He’s a pretty nice guy, despite his asshole friends.”

He smiled, happy I was playing along.

Anita shrugged and took her seat, choosing to ignore the weirdness.

“So, Anita, are you planning on going to Liv’s party too?” Wes asked.

She was in middle of unwrapping her burger but froze with the question. “Too? You’re going?”

He smiled and nodded. “Yeah, we all are.”

Anger painted her face. “I swear to God, Wes Monroe, if you and your gang of lowlifes are going to her party with plans to fuck with her, I won’t stop until I get payback on each and every one of you. Got it?” She pointed her finger at him.

He visibly swallowed. “It’s not like that, Anita. I swear. We’re cool.” Honesty lit up his face.

She studied him while squinting her eyes but didn’t argue any further.

The rest of lunch went by smoothly. Anita and I talked about the party. Wes offered up some ideas of his own to liven it up a bit. I was sure my mom had all kinds of childish games planned. By the end of the hour, I felt like I’d done a pretty good job of holding up my end of the deal. Anita even agreed to go to Wes’s house to create a playlist of music for everyone to dance to.

When the bell rang, indicating that lunch was over, the three of us stood and tossed our trash on the way out of the lunchroom. At the end of the hall, we went our separate ways to head to our next classes. I swung by my locker and got the books I needed. Then I decided to hit up the restroom before heading to class.

Just as I stepped into the bathroom, the bell rang, meaning I was late. I rolled my eyes and grumbled as I dropped my books onto the sink.

After finishing washing my hands, the door creaked open behind me. My eyes snapped to the mirror. Brent walked up behind me. I spun around quickly. “This is the girls’ restroom. You can’t come in here.”

He let out a deep chuckle. “I can do anything I damn well please around here. Don’t you know that, Butt Whore?” He came closer, and with every step, I took one backwards.

“I don’t know what you did to get Wes on your side, but it’s not going to work for long, you know.”

I was out of steps. My back pressed to the wall, and he took his final step toward me, pressing his chest against mine. “What did you do?Suck him off?Did you fuck him to get him on your side?”

“I-I didn’t do anything.” I shook my head, fear drenching my words as I balled up my fists and put my forearms on his chest to try and push him away.

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